Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) today announced the introduction of his bipartisan legislation encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to make their treatment preferences known to families and providers should they be unable to make their own decisions due to a debilitating or terminal illness.  The announcement took place at the University of Vermont Medical Center’s Adult Primary Care facility in South Burlington.

Welch was joined at the announcement by Cathy Frank, former chair of Vermont Ethics Network, Dr. Bob Macauley, Director of Clinical Ethics at the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine, and Asaad Trina, a third year UVM medical student. The legislation has been endorsed by a broad coalition, including the American College of Physicians, the National Right to Life Committee, the American Nurses Association, and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care.

Vermont Business Magazine Comcast said today that it is seeking candidates to fill more than 30 new "customer-facing" jobs in Vermont over the coming months, in addition to the 20 already recently added across the state. These new positions, which include customer care representatives and supervisors based in the company’s South Burlington call center, are part of Comcast’s multi-year effort to transform the customer experience and to create a culture focused on exceeding customers’ expectations, at all levels of the company. “Comcast is continuing to invest in processes, tools and, most importantly, employees to ensure that our customers have the best possible experience," said Michael Parker, Senior Vice President for Comcast in Vermont. "We’re excited for these new hires to join our existing 200 Vermont employees in our efforts to deliver great service, and we’re thrilled to be growing our workforce in the Green Mountain State.”

by Brian Dubie It was my honor to serve as Vermont's Lieutenant Governor for eight years. While I was in office, I was invited to tour the site of a proposed industrial wind turbine complex in Ira, Vermont. My tour guide was a commercial pilot. He explained his concerns about the project’s impact on Southern Vermont Regional Airport in nearby Rutland. Being a commercial airline pilot myself, I understood and shared my colleague’s concerns. We were not alone—the airport manager expressed grave concerns about the project and the “operational safety and the economic impact it has on the airport.” As a result of what I learned I joined with them to oppose the project.

Impacts on aviation were not the only problem with the Ira project. It was too close to neighboring homes, and it was opposed by most of the towns that it would have affected. The project was never built.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin has launched a website dedicated to the State of the State Address that he will deliver on January 7, 2016. The website can be found atwww.2016stateofthestate.com. The site currently features information on the Governor’s five previous addresses to the legislature and statistics about the significant progress Vermont has made since Governor Shumlin came to office in January 2011.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that he has tapped Executive Director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, David Cahill, to serve as State’s Attorney in Windsor County. Cahill will replace current Windsor County State’s Attorney Michael Kainen, who Governor Shumlin has appointed to be a trial court judge. Prior to his current post, Cahill was a deputy state’s attorney and chief deputy attorney in Windsor County from 2006 to 2014. Cahill also teaches courses in the Criminal Law Clinic at Vermont Law School. Cahill has prosecuted numerous serious felonies ranging from embezzlement to homicide. He has also served as a dedicated prosecutor for the Windsor Special Investigations Unit, which handles sex crimes and serious child abuse cases. Cahill graduated from Dartmouth College, Highest Honors, in 2001, and received his JD from the University of Minnesota, Cum Laude, in 2005.

Vermont Business Magazine Exterus Technology for Business, located in Shelburne, has announced it is merging their Xerox copier, printer and IT business with Usherwood Office Technology, located in Williston. Terms were not disclosed. Effective January 1, the merged entity will be known as Usherwood Office Technology. Under the merger, all Exterus employees will be retained and relocated to Usherwood’s new offices and showroom at 1193 South Brownell Road. Usherwood is an independent family owned authorized solutions provider for Canon, Xerox, Microsoft and Samsung. In addition, Usherwood offers services for managed IT, managed print and mailing solutions.

Vermont Business Magazine January is national Learn to Ski and Snowboard month and there are many opportunities for people to learn new snowsports at a discount, or even free. Vermont, being home to several adaptive sport associations, is also providing free adaptive lessons at alpine and Nordic resorts. Resorts nationwide will host the World’s Largest Lesson on Friday, January 8, 2016. Vermont Adaptive is offering free adaptive lessons at 10 a.m.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved $15.7 million in loan and bond financings for commercial, agricultural and energy projects totaling $37.5 million throughout Vermont. “Manufacturing businesses employing hundreds of Vermonters will continue to grow with the help of VEDA financing,” said Jo Bradley, VEDA Chief Executive Officer.  “In addition, a number of agricultural and renewable energy generation projects were approved, as was an SBA 504 project.”

Projects approved for VEDA financing include:

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced four judicial appointments today. Burlington attorney John Pacht will fill a judgeship recently funded to help address increasing caseloads related to child protection and opiate-abuse across Vermont. Chittenden County Deputy State’s Attorney Mary Morrissey will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Kupersmith. Windsor County State’s Attorney Michael Kainen will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John Wesley. And Burlington attorney Michael Harris will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Amy Davenport.

John Pacht

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Vermont moved up to third in the nation and tops in the Northeast again in a national study on migration. According to the study, people are moving here for the same reason they're moving to warmer regions of the country: retirement. Meanwhile, for the third consecutive year, Oregon holds on to the number 1 spot as "Top Moving Destination," as Americans continue to pack up and head West and South. Those are the results of United Van Lines' 39th Annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers' state-to-state migration patterns over the past year. Oregon is the most popular moving destination of 2015 with 69 percent of moves to and from the state being inbound. The state has continued to climb the ranks, increasing inbound migration by 10 percent over the past six years. New to the 2015 top inbound list is another Pacific West state, Washington, which came in at No. 10 with 56 percent inbound moves.

by Mike Smith Senator Bernie Sanders has a beef with the Democratic Party, and his complaint has merit. Sanders is miffed at party officials for rigging the nominating system to favor Hillary Clinton. As an example, he cites the number and timing of debates. There is no doubt party stalwarts are firmly behind Clinton. According to National Public Radio, Clinton is trouncing Sanders in so-called “super-delegates” — party leaders and elected officials — by an astounding 359 to 8. And in Vermont, top Democrats, including Sen. Patrick Leahy, Gov. Peter Shumlin and former Gov. Madeleine Kunin, have come out strongly in favor of Clinton. Even Rep. Peter Welch has been noticeably noncommittal regarding the Sanders candidacy.

To national party officials a challenger like Sanders ensures the nomination process doesn’t appear to be a coronation for Clinton. It is useful that Sanders is vying for the nomination, but they certainly don’t want him to win.

Vermont Business Magazine A historic spike in weekly employment claims resulted in the highest weekly total in memory last week. Claims were also higher than the same time last year, for the last week of the year. Generally claims in 2015 were lower than in 2014. For the week of December 26, 2015, there were 2,150 claims, a phenomenal increase of 1,481 from the previous week's total and 134 more than they were a year ago. By industry, claims were way up in manufacturing and services. As has been the trend, Services led all categories with 47 percent of all claims as holiday hiring came to an end. 

Altogether 6,836 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 1,426 from a week ago, and 1,349 fewer than a year ago.